Chicago Bulls' Derrick Rose injured ahead of fifth game of NBA Playoff series against Indiana Pacers
The leading scorer for the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, picked up an ankle injury in the fourth game of the Eastern Conference best-of-seven quarter-final series against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. The 22-year-old underwent an MRI exam on Sunday afternoon. Although the reports came back negative, Rose did not seem at all bothered by the injury, and said that he was determined to play Tuesday’s game.
Rose’s injury is no doubt a huge blow for the Bulls. He has played a major role in Chicago’s brilliant run this season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), which was quite evident in their defeat to the Pacers. He was out for just 16 minutes in the previous game with the injury and Indiana took full advantage of the situation, topping the Bulls 89-84 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The favourite for the most valuable player (MVP) award rolled his ankle while making a hard cut to the basket late in the first quarter. He left the game in great pain but returned to the court considering the importance of the game. He finished with a season-low 15 points, 10 assists, four rebounds and four steals in the losing effort.
In case Rose misses the next game, C.J. Watson will be his most likely replacement. Watson scored 33 points in his only start of the season against the Denver Nuggets in the regular season.
Watson was enthusiastic about the chance to represent his team in the next game and said that he would welcome the opportunity. He further said, “It is still basketball. I have been practicing with them the whole year. I just have to play my game. Whenever I get the minutes, go out there and be productive.’’
When asked about the availability of Rose in the next game, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau sounded positive and said, "Hopefully, he'll be ready. When we ask him, he says he's fine. (Athletic trainer) Fred (Tedeschi) said he has a little soreness. But he said the swelling isn't bad."
It is quite evident from coach's statement that Rose’s availability in the next game is not yet confirmed. The Bulls have to be very careful while making any kind of decision regarding Rose. If they force him to play the next game then any mishap could further aggravate his condition, which is not serious at the moment.
Meanwhile, his unavailability in the next game could put the Bulls in a tough position against the Pacers, who are back on track with the impressive win in the previous game. However, the Bulls could still recover from the defeat in the next game as they lead the Pacers 3-1 in the series.
Resting Rose in the next game would be a better idea as it could benefit the Bulls in the long run in the series. Rose has been outstanding this season, averaging 25.0 points, 7.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. He has been the driving force for Chicago in the regular season and now in the playoffs.
Now it is up to the management to decide whether they would like to risk playing Rose in the next game or whether they want to rest him so that he can recover from the injury completely.
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